Quote:1. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
This reality is just one of infinite realities existing alongside this one in parallel. Take us over to one of those realities in which everything is the same but these S52 playoffs have unfolded differently. What happened in that reality's playoffs and who's in the Challenge Cup over there?

In this alternate reality, the New Orleans Specters win their first game seven as a franchise, making their first Challenge Cup Final sine their inaugural season. Nothing changes on the Eastern side, however, as the Manhattan Rage find themselves in the Challenge Cup Final as well. This matchup isn't one of bad blood as the SHL may be used to. This is a matchup of good friends and hard working competitors, and it would have been reflected in the series overall. There would not have been any fights, and any penalties taken would have been purely accidental. This series would have ended up going to seven games as well, putting New Orleans in an uncomfortable spot seeing as how this postseason finally got them their first game seven win. Wanna make it even more spooky? Game seven in this reality would be tied 7-7 and go into 7 overtimes. The game winning goal? Aleister Cain, somehow..... Makes you think what kind of voodoo magic they had cooking up.

Quote:2. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
You're put in charge of making the casino odds on the Cup winner for next season. Whom are you giving the best and the worst odds to, and what's your reasoning?

Putting bias aside, the best casino odds for Cup winner next season with the move to FHM would have to be the New Orleans Specters. Wait.....didn't I just say I was putting bias aside? Let me explain. This is a team who has seemingly been cursed despite their best voodoo tactics to counter it. Having the highest TPE goalie in the league hasn't helped them in the years of STHS. They boast a solid and improving defensive corps led by Kaspars Claude and Lyle Odelein III. Charlie Serpe and Sean Stevenson Jr aren't defensemen to be taken lightly either. A forward corps led by Lil Manius and Nicholas Williams should see their top end scoring take a jump as well. They may not have the strongest regular season, but this is a team that is built to last. The worst Cup odds? I hate to say it, but the Toronto North Stars. This team is still in the midst of a rebuild and has had some of the worst showings in league history in preliminary testing.

Quote:4. Written, 3 TPE (150 words min.)
The Most Generic Prompt of All Time - what is your player looking forward to in the offseason? What are they planning on doing? Training? Relaxing? Testing free agency? Whatever it is, let us know!

Michael Fox has slipped and fell into a trench of complacency lately and has struggled to climb out of it. This offseason, however, Fox will be spending all of his time working on getting himself truly in game shape heading into the FHM era. Fox has been on the cusp of a breakout for what has felt like an eternity, and it can all be traced back to the fact that he has simply not put the work in to get better. Going back to his roots, Fox will spend his time focusing on his stickwork, puckhandling, skating, and agility. Long removed from the glory days of running through other high school kids, Fox has found a new love for the game and looks poised to take the league by the throat and throw down. For all of the doubters out there, and especially to those who have been calling for it: the time has come. Keep an eye out for the Specters budding star.

Quote:14. Written, up to 5 TPE Pick up to 5 Challenge Cup related topics to write about! Each topic is worth 1 TPE. Each answer must be 50+ words to qualify.
1. Head GMs JayWhy and Grapehead have been GMing for a while, whereas Co GMs Luketd and DaftRaincloud are newer to management - which team's front office staff (including coaches) do you think will provide a strategic edge (lol as if such a thing exists in STHS) in this series?
2. Manhattan has been rocking a pretty evenly-distributed ice time for forwards (35-33-32) whereas San Francisco is going a bit more top-heavy (40-40-15). Which approach do you think is better for a fierce Challenge Cup series?

1. While there is no strategic edge in Simon, as we all know there is a certain level of randomness that simply cannot be accounted for, the supposed edge in this matchup has to go to the team that uses a more analytical approach: Manhattan. LukeTD is know for how strongly he takes analytics into account, and I think the end result proved that more teams should look deeper into the statistics when building their lines.
2. While the 40-40-15 approach is good for individual games with no extenuating circumstances, this is not a good approach for a full series. The players on the top end of the 40-40 lines are going to burn out much quicker than the players on any of the 35-33-32 lines would. Looking back on the series, I again think this is the correct choice to make as Manhattan came out on top.

Quote:15. Written, 2 TPE - The Procrastinator Special! (100 words min)
Welp, you waited until the last day to grind out your CW and the CC finals are longggggggg over by now. congrats to [TEAM], woo! Reflecting back on the series, who gets your vote for series MVP? Make the case why this player deserves it over any other.

Peter Larson, without a shadow of a doubt. While a 4-2 W-L in the series isn't as impressive as a 4-0 or 4-1, Larson's play throughout the series is something that, without it, Manhattan would not have come away with the Cup. Throughout the course of the series, Larson stopped 194 of 206 shots for a save percentage of .941 and a GAA of 2.00. Looking at the two losses specifically, Larson stopped 63 of 67 shots for a save percentage of .940 and a GAA of 2.00. Under normal circumstances, these numbers are more than enough to earn your team a win. The losses weren't his fault, and the wins would not have come without their brick wall in net. Peter Larson is 100% the series MVP, and there is no close second.

Quote:17. Casual Member Special, 3 TPE max - 1 TPE for participation, 0.5 TPE for each correct answer - SEND ANSWER IN PM TO "PT DIRECTOR"

Done